Pleo Deliveries Postponed due to Battery Issues

I’ve got two Pleo “First Hatch” dinosaur robots on allocation from Ugobe this fall. One for the kiddies and one to sell on eBay [Send your preemptive bids to jonas@robotcentral.com]. At 9am CT this morning, Ugobe sent out the following announcement stating an unquantified time delay in shipment of Pleo 1.0 due to a reconfiguration of battery strategies. The new configuration will allow batteries to be swapped out and charged independently of the robot.

Ugobe is still committing to having Pleos in my hands “by the holidays”. There were a limited number (2000 I believe) First Hatch units available from Ugobe directly, and an unspecified quantity available through retail partners. One thing is for sure, this delay will dramatically reduce the number of units on the market for the holiday buying season. Those who are lucky enough to get one, will find a robot in high demand.

Dear Pleo™ Fans,
During pre-production testing, the UGOBE™ team encountered some significant problems with Pleo’s battery life. We solved these problems in a way that I think you will appreciate: all Pleos, including First Hatch Pleos, are now designed to have an easily removable battery and an external charger for the battery. That means that with multiple batteries and chargers, you can keep Pleo going for hours on end. However, implementing this design change will delay production. We are working hard to make sure everyone who has ordered a Pleo will receive one by the holidays.I know how much you are looking forward to having Pleo in your life so I know this delay is frustrating. At the same time, I hope that you are as excited as I am about this design change. I’ll post some video or photos soon, so you can see it yourself. Your enthusiasm for Pleo continues to be an inspiration as we work through these challenges to deliver the life form we’ve all been waiting for.

We’ll update you in a few weeks – as soon as we know more about when we can ship. If you have any questions, take a look at the FAQs below. And make sure to stop by PleoWorld.com to see our new webisodes and participate in forum discussions.

Sincerely,
Caleb Chung

FAQS
Q: How does the external battery and charger work with Pleo?
A: The battery goes in the same place in Pleo as before (his belly), except that now it is designed to be removed
easily and frequently. Once removed, the battery is charged in the external charger, then placed back in Pleo
once fully charged.

Q: Why did you change to the external charger design?
A: As we neared production, we encountered some difficulties with Pleos charging consistently. Combined with the
input you have given us about wanting multiple batteries that were easy to remove and charge, we decided that
solving our charging problems and answering the call for an external charger was paramount.

Q: Why are you delaying shipment?
A: In pre-production testing we encountered problems getting Pleo to charge correctly. Implementing design
changes to resolve the charging issue has led to the delay. We’re working hard to make sure everyone who has
ordered a Pleo will receive one by Christmas time.

Q: What do you mean when you say that Pleo will arrive “by the holidays”?
A: Integrating the necessary changes into the Pleo design has pushed back production, and we are unable to
ship Pleo in October as planned. However, you will receive your Pleo by Christmas time.
We felt it was best to let you know of the delay as soon as possible.

Q. Can I still order a Pleo and receive it before Christmas?
A: After the success with pre-orders, UGOBE.com has completely sold out of Pleos, however our retail partners
still have Pleo allocations available.

Still have questions? Contact us.

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